Day well spent

     Two days to go until I move to the other side of town! Well, today was very productive-busy day- meeting to preparation to squeezing lunch in to a wonderful session with some women to clinic to temple to Bombay sandwich to 2.5 km walk home! I loved every bit of today!

     I packed my paperwork and computer. Out the door-hush hush hush- meeting, finalized sessions. printed sessions, arranged with health workers time, place, and agenda. Out the door- rush home for quick lunch in 15 min- pack camera, sessions, stethoscope, BP cuff, water bottle, notebook, and out the door! walked thinking I won't find a rikshaw, but I got lucky and got to the community in 30 Rs-usually, it takes 45! anyway, health workers and I met up, chatted, recruited women, and started session> we had a good turnout. I did not really expect big groups. I wanted a medium group size to facilitate discussion and have the women feel comfortable enough to open up. Everyone can have a chance to talk and give their input that way. The health workers were a great addition, as they have done countless community health sessions on women's health before with similar populations. I learned from them as much as they learned from me. We collaborated to do 1.5 hour session on Breast and Cervical cancer. The women seemed very interested in what we had to share, and they themselves were very open to giving their feedback. It is nice when there is discussion created amongst the women, as it is very important for them to own their health! Self breast exam was a foreign concept, but in a land where many cannot and have not been exposed to mammography, self-breast exam is a simple method to empower women to take health and detection into their own hands. They were very enthusiastic about learning, and the talk on nutrition went very well too. Many women had great knowledge and they seemed happy to talk amongst other women about their lives, health, food, and family! Then we tried to fit in cervical cancer- if we had more time, we could've extended the session for a longer discussion, but we covered the main points. Cervical cancer awareness and detection should be on the forefront in India since it is the number one reason for cancer mortality in women in India, but there is so little attention given to it. I wanted to fit it in somehow, and the women had sat a little longer for us to generate a brief discussion on it, but an informational one at that. Overall, for the time and vicinity, it was a productive session. One of the most important point of the session is for the women the understand themselves what is going on. No information, demonstration, or empowerment is valuable if they cannot understand it, value it, use it, and apply it themselves. We are going to conduct another one tomorrow in a different part of the slum with a new group of women. It is open to all women. Our goal is to spread the word on awareness-a few women will share it with her family and friends and so forth. I am trying to get copies of sessions in Gujarati to leave with the health workers for future reference. It is good that this community has few health workers-one of which I have formed a great relationship with! Along with the clinic, the health workers serve as excellent resources and sources of support for many women. The health worker who I will refer to as  behn (meaning sister) accompanies many women for all sorts of health issues or anything pregnancy/delivery related. She is a great inspiration, and I have had the gift of getting to know her in the past several weeks. We had a great photo session today with the health workers. I didn't get a group photo of the women who attended the session though as the session was pretty packed, and the women are very busy. I didn't want to take up more of their time, but tomorrow, I will try to get some photos in with their permission. I still have to take photos of the clinic. I took few snap shots of the children, the neighbors, etc.

     Then, the clinic lasted an hour late as patients kept coming. We left at 830 after wrapping up. The dr. let me keep the Swami Vivekanand book as a gift- I was touched! What better present than that- well nothing tops the experience I have gained here! I am truly thankful that such people exist here. Everything is much more meaningful with a spiritual connection. That I formed with the community. Few laughs, many smiles, and plenty of warm of conversations. I enjoyed my time thoroughly here! Today, after the session was over and the women had left, the two health workers and I sat at  behn's house where the session was. Behn made tea for us despite me denying it! She insisted, so I tried a little! When someone makes it with love, you don't deny it- rule of India. Then the health workers were anxious to learn how to use the BP cuff and measure BP. They had equipment in the office, but never really got to use it. A fun teaching session followed by a brief final photo session, and I headed to the clinic down the street. So many people with Chikungunya and Malaria- I got two mosquito bites there, and I was praying I don't get Chikungunya! I need non painful functioning joints!! Malaria-I am taking prophylaxis for so I don't worry much about it.

    When one after another family member is getting Malaria or Chikungunya in the same house or neighborhood, the precautions need to be amplified even more. If they have mosquito nets at home, encourage them to use it. Some people have mosquito nets, and some don't. Some have it and still don't use it, so I try to understand why they don't use it, and what they think about it, and then explain how important it is to prevent malaria, Chikungunya, Dengue-out of the three, the first two are most common. Apparently the govt. provides mosquito nets for free to the community, but some people still don't have it..  Govt. may provide mosquito nets, but it should also follow up on their usage, damage, or replacement needs. There are many gaps. Govt. has wonderful TB program per WHO guidelines that has great treatment and follow up, but some people refuse to utilize it due to stigma and people thinking if the govt. provides something for free, then it is not good quality or service. Same goes for the Iron/Folic acid that is provided to women. Many people prefer to get it privately. Very interesting. Anyway, so much more to do and promote. Even more to learn and understand. Only then we are able to truly connect effectively with the community and individuals.

     After clinic, I went to the temple near where I am staying (about 2.5km) since it was Sharad poonam ( full moon). I made it just in time before temple closed, and then I went to Bombay sandwich lahri (cart) in front of temple! Yumm!! I have Bombay sandwich almost every week here! My cousins were out anyway, so it was just my left for dinner. I decided to eat out on my own too! Got me some lemonade next door, and cadbury dairymilk. I ate half of it while walking home. I decided to burn some calories instead of catching a rikshaw. Afterall, I was consuming so many calories!! I enjoyed my walk home under the full moon. There were some garbas playing nearby as it was Sharad poonam! Sharad poonam ni ratrie, chandini ke neeche bhali baatdi...
I felt like joining them in garba- only if I did not have my two heavy bags with me!
I kept walking home and stopped by a Amul shop and got lassi.

Posters on kakko-Gujarati alphabet, and body parts in Gujarati diagrams- Its a good educations distraction for children when they came to clinic. They are the cutest kids-they get so amused by the weight scale! Some come every day to show me their tuition class lessons, and call me madam even though I am not really a teacher! haha-but they are precious! One little girl wanted to be a medical professional when she was older, so I had her listen to her sister's lung sounds and heart beat for fun! What is the point of knowledge if you can't share and empower it with the next generation-or with anyone really!

Good day good day- catch some sleep and make tomorrow another productive day!

All in all, today was sweeter than chocolate! even that dairy milk I had!

"Kindness, I've discovered, is everything in life" -Isaac Bashevis Singer

Out on a limb

London dekha, Paris dekha, aur dekha Japan, Micheal dekha, Elvis Dekha, sab dekha meri jaan...)
(I have seen London, Paris, and even Japan, Micheal, Elvis, I have seen everything...)
Sare jag mein kahi nahi hai dusra Hindustaan
(In the whole universe, there is not another Hindustaan aka India)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVIW-AhSCDs

    Today, I went out on a limb (when do I not?!). Anyway, I had gone shopping in the afternoon with my cousin to get a Dongle and we went to a toy shop next door. I had my eyes on this photo frame that I really liked. In fact, I had been looking for something to gift some special people who I have been staying with this month since I could not attend their wedding 4 years ago! I always regret not being able to be with family and friends during weddings in India. I have missed out on most of my cousins' weddings but one! and I have a ton of cousins! Anyway, tonight, I went back to that same toy shop that had the frame, but I first, I walked to catch a rikshaw. No rikshaw would stop! I know it was late, but not even that late! Finally, one rikshaw wala stopped, and I went to D-Mart (a mini wal mart). It is very U.S.A.- like and modern. It has shopping carts, everything A to Z. I didn't find any good presents there though, so I just browsed and left. That D-Mart was like a mall seriously! It had a movie theater, coffee shop, elevators, and escalators! I really liked some of the T-shirts and kurtas -they were 150 to 250 Rs a piece- which is a good deal, but I was only out to get the present-that's it. I did not want to fall for the trap of materialism no matter how much I liked those other things. They were merely objects, and plus, I have enough clothes! I then decided to catch a rikshaw and head on over to the toy shop which was not too far. I did not even argue with the rikshaw wala even though I knew he was charging me more. It was late, and I wanted to get to the shop before it closed. I got there fingers crossed that it would be open! It was to my pleasant surprise, so I went in to had the frame gift wrapped.

     I still have many more people to gift, but I always will have a hole in my heart where I could not be there for the weddings of my loved ones. The least I can do is come spend time with them while I am in India! Every one is like booking my holidays with them! My uncle already insisted I go to his house for Uttarayan-they live in a nearby town with 3 story home with a roof top balcony/terrance (aka agasi in Gujarati). I went to that uncle's house yesterday evening! He picked me up after office, and we cruised on his scooter to their home in a nearby town.  The grandma next door saw me and recognized me as my dad's daughter, and my grandpa's granddaughter. I was in awe. My dad and grandpa used to go visit this uncle (my dad's dad's sister's son), so this grandma next door knew them well. It was nice talking to her. Another uncle who went to school/college with my dad was there, and I showed them the pictures of my parents from my camera. It feels nice connecting people through technology. Despite being seas apart, I can at least show pictures, and engage them in conversations or video chatting with each other!

During Uttarayan, people fly kites on agasi (roof top). I will get to celebrate it after 15 years! Diwali-I have like 5 places to go to see family and friends!  I will try to visit everyone, but there is only one Diwali day and one Bestu Varas (Hindu New Year).

    Nonetheless, no money can buy the precious moments I have been able to live with my family here. Being able to turn on my skype  and call over my family has allowed me to connect my parents in USA with their brothers, bhabhis (brothers' wives), nephews, nieces, grand-nephews, and grand-nieces. It has meant the world to me to see my parents so happy to see them all. Thank goodness for Skype. It connects people -except the microphone  on my laptop is nonfunctional. Therefore, I pass around my mobile (cell phone) while having Skype open concurrently!

As I am watching a Navaratri special on TV with common TV stars, here are some stars from my galaxy-the songs I have really liked over the years, and make me nostalgic in moments!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5K2RKBQ0phs

Morni baga ma bole aandhi raat mein (the peacock speaks in the dark night)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=094eFKs8Sh4

Eventually, as in next 2 days, I need to pack. I have so much to organize! It will be something, although I will be sad to leave my cousin and bhabhi here, I will get to live in the house and neighborhood I lived in during my childhood during Novemeber! New and old people, new and old memories, and of course, new experiences! zaraa haste, zara jhoomte, Yeh hai India, meri jaan! (a little smiling, a little roaming, this is India, my love!)

"This world is just a gymnasium in which we play; our life is an eternal holiday."-Swami Vivekanand

Family Reunion mucho

     Oh what fun is to meet family after ages! Just as fun to see them after being apart for few weeks! I finally met my cousin, jijaji (sister's husband), my nieces after 5 yrs! Can you believe it? I was so shocked when my foi (dad's sister) called me and told me they are in town at my other cousin's place!! I was on my way out for something else when I came across the phone call, and then quickly shifted plans to meet up with my family. I couldn't possibly pass the chance to go see them-so I hopped in the rikshaw and didn't care about the meter charge as long as I got to see them. I was there for barely 10-15 minutes since I had another place to go, but those 15 minutes felt so good. I felt like I was in heaven in India. Being with family is like no other feeling. There were my 6 nieces and nephews ranging from 2 weeks to 14 years! Haha-the 1 yr old kept pulling my hair when I carried him. I think he remembers me as the one whose hair is left out enough for him to pull! Anyway, I had a wonderful time. I wanted to sit and talk with them some more, but this was so last minute planned, and I had to act spontaneously in order to see them! My other cousin brothers, their wives and children were still missing, but my family is pretty large from my dad's side. I plan to see them again on Diwali next month! There are some family members and family friends I still have not seen since I have been here despite being so close to them! I try to see some this weekend, and more the next weekend. I need like a month just to visit family! I need to go shopping for usb Dongle, or else I won't have internet access starting next week! I am done with my over usage of my cousin's wi-fi here as I will be moving on to my other destination for November!

   Second half of the day was spent at the clinic. Days are getting short as I will not be here much longer. I will miss the clinic and all the people associated with it-the neighbors in the basti, the patients we see, the families I encounter, the children playing outside, the knowledge I've gained, the experiences I've had, the cases I've seen, and the love I've received. I know how much it means to want something so bad, and to be able to live it. I got to live it this month. What I imagined came true. I am very fortunate indeed to be able to have had this opportunity. Just like what a fellow human being who came to the clinic today told me in Hindi-translated version: "You are very lucky to be here, not many people come. You can at least speak Hindi and you got the opportunity to come serve here." At that time, I felt like my entire trip so far had been wrapped up in a present with a big bow on top in the name of this gentleman's words. I told him in Hindi-translated version "My Hindi is not that great, but I try to speak what I can. Being born in Vadodara and having lived in Gujarat kept me connected to my language, and I am indeed, very lucky and fortunate to be able to come back here" I just felt so happy- I felt like this gentleman and I formed an instant connection with that brief conversation after I took his history. The connections I have formed with the community members here are priceless. I absolutely love talking to them, be it about health, the atmosphere, holidays, their families, their lives, my life, or just life in general. They are human beings before patients. I like to see them as human beings, and many of them, I saw as family. There is something that connects us all-whether someone is Muslim, or Hindu, or Christian, or whichever faith, I wish Eid Mubarakh, say Merry Christmas, and say Happy Diwali. I feel equal joy.

Tests for detecting Dengue (wonder what the sensitivity and specificity is for NS1 detection, generally, I have seen IgG and IgM labs be used here)- Anyway, there is so much to learn-there was an article on a person who was coinfected with Chikungunya and Dengue. They are both transmitted by same species of mosquitos-A. aegypti. Very interesting. The person recovered just fine, but  had to go through having Dengue Hemorrhagic fever, and then just when that was improving from the treatment, had started getting symptoms of Chikungunya! Gosh these mosquitos- I better put on another layer of Odomos!

Tests for detecting Dengue (wonder what the sensitivity and specificity is for NS1 detection, generally, I have seen IgG and IgM labs be used here)- Anyway, there is so much to learn-there was an article on a person who was coinfected with Chikungunya and Dengue. They are both transmitted by same species of mosquitos-A. aegypti. Very interesting. The person recovered just fine, but  had to go through having Dengue Hemorrhagic fever, and then just when that was improving from the treatment, had started getting symptoms of Chikungunya! Gosh these mosquitos- I better put on another layer of Odomos!

    At the clinic, the dr. gave me this journal of Indian Medical Association. This month's edition is on Breast Cancer. Of course, it caught my attention immediately, so in between patient visits, I read bits and pieces of some of the articles. What they have written about Breast cancer is so true- in USA, the progress that has been made with early detection where it is still in-situ or ductal carcinoma that is still confined within the breast or particular area is astonishing compared to India, where mammography is such a foreign concept. Would my mother's breast cancer have even been detected in stage 1 had we still lived in India? India has a long way to come, be it Breast cancer or Cervical Cancer screenings. Keeping only a selective number of mammogram machines in few radiologist offices or private hospitals may be benificial for some women, but what about the majority of the population that cannot go to those places or afford it, let alone have heard of it. Then, once they are symptomatic, it is stage 3 or 4!

      I wish all this knowledge and resources that are within the walls of private institutes get distributed to the general public across all income levels in society. On the other hand, there are some great public and private hospitals. There is a public cancer hospital in Ahmadabad that is excellent for cancer treatment and provides affordable care to those who need it, but it is too far for many people who need that care. They even provide passes to get to the hospital through public transportation, but what about those who cannot travel alone in their current state. Most people's families work all day. They have to work morning to night to get money for the day! The private hospital in a nearby town of Baroda is a renowned cancer research and treatment institute. I visited there in 2007. There is a brilliant orphange nearby that just does a wonderful job at raising the girls and young women! The Cancer institute is state of the art, but only those in upper middle class or upper class can afford it as it is private. That is one of the few rare places that has a CT scan!

I want to finish this book by Swami Vivekanand 

The dr. lend me this book to read, but I might just purchase my own copy eventually before returning to USA. There are several books I want to get by the great authors and spiritual leaders of India. I highly recommend Gandhiji's autobiography!

"My ideal, indeed, can be put into a few words, and that is: to preach unto mankind their divinity, and how to make it manifest in every movement of life." -Swami Vivekanand

Good times

I decided to write a new post as mi familia is fixing the electricity here. That means, no wi-fi, no fan… Oh heat-but I can take it. Some sweating here and there-no big deal. Although walking outside with a little bit of wind feels much better. So far, I have seen two movies- Student of the Year, and English Vinglish, back to back. I hadn’t been to the movie theater in so long that it felt nice. I was in food heaven with popcorn, masala corn (baked corn with masala), puff (pastry), and water. Of course, I need water. Then, I had ice cream at the café at INOX. Comparatively to USA prices, my trip to INOX for two movies (100 Rs for first show, and 150 Rs for second show, 80 Rs large popcorn, 50 Rs masala corn, 30 Rs water, and 127 Rs ice cream, 40Rs Puff) total of 250 Rs for tickets for 2 movies= US $5, and 327 Rs for all the food I consumed = US $ 6.50. Grand total for all theater costs came to about $11.50. In USA, one iMax movie would cost that much-and that is the ticket alone! All these costs are still pricy according to Indian Rupees still! I recommend English Vinglish- it does a really good job of showing the sentiments and dynamics of living or visiting a foreign land where one does not know the language or culture. I found it to be excellent as I have lived through similar sentiments as a child when I first moved to USA. My circumstances were much different of course, but some of the feelings are very similar. Now, I am more than accustomed to both, US and Indian culture. It is like I can mix in well with either or-kind of through a culture of my own. I think that is the beauty of being a first generation immigrant. I am lucky enough to have held onto my native tongue of Gujarati, and learn Hindi growing up despite not speaking in it at home. It allows me to live here in India and communicate with others. I can keep the rikshaw drivers from ripping me off. One day, on my way home, the rikshaw driver told me 40 Rs for point A to point B, and then another 80 Rs for point B to home. I was like no way-I know it does not cost that much. I even watched the meter, and memorized the costs according to the meter. He lied to me and said the meter was not working. I know it was working as I saw the numbers change per distance! Don’t try to outsmart me. I switched rickshaws at the railway station where I got in another rikshaw. Total came to 80 Rs, which is still pretty costly, but not the 100 Rs that first rikshaw driver was trying to convince me of. I just prefer walking the 1.5 km home from nearest intersection rather than paying extra. Plus, I can stay fit and burn calories-ward of Diabetes and other issues by being active.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GP9GGUWJNEs I like this song from English Vinglish

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqxF6MT4sZo I love this song too!! 

On another note, today is Dassera-the day my grandpa passed away. I remember him in peace and know he is looking after my family where ever he is. It is also my dad's birthday according to teethi. In Indian/Hindu calendar, people have two birthdays-calendar birthday and teethi birthday depending on the holiday/moon or religious position according to vedic sanskruti/astronomy and philosophy.  Kind of complicated, but really cool. 

"Free your mind, and don't be afraid to chase after your dreams and desires. The least you can do is try. The rest is the rest, but you must control your happiness as no one can help you as much as you can help yourself."

Sweet old society

    Hello streets of the society I once payed tag on and rode my bike on. Hola to the street I fell and scraped my knees and elbows on while running to catch the rikshaw for school in 1st grade. Namaste to what I call home, and the place I dreamt of returning to during the rest of my childhood abroad. Finally, I came face to face with my neighborhood from childhood. The place my family lived so contently in. We lived a very basic and simple lifestyle in that 1 bedroom home, and it was worth more happiness, peace, and tranquility than anything else imaginable to us. Like most families, the whole family sleeps in my one room-as we did back then. The neighbors were like family. They still are just as warm and welcoming. I chit chatted with some of them today when I went to meet them. I promised I would go back in November and stay there-the house that is now someone else's, but that other family, who invited me so sweetly to stay with them. How can I not feel like I am in my own home. The walls are painted differently, the rooms are renovated, and now there are two more stories than before! yet is is still the same ground I lived on in my childhood.

    Another coincidence, their kid goes to the same school I once used to go to! Someday, if I have time, I just might tag along to go visit my old school I missed so much. Sardar Vallabhai Vidyalay- one of the strictest yet very good schools.. the education is very advanced and the rules-just as tight! I remember, I used to be a risk taker, and would climb over the iron gate in front of the school courtyard! My friends and I would climb over and have climbing contests while waiting for rikshaws in our navy blue and while uniforms and two braids rolled up with red ribbons in the 90 degree weather! It is very rare that we did not have school. Once-just once-when the pond behind the school building over flowed during monsoon, school was cancelled! haha-oh chomasu (monsoon). dancing in the puddles! Besides that, chickenpox-have to go school, injury-go to school, basically, go to school! May be that is why I was so anal about my attendance and had to have every perfect attendance award all through out grade school in USA. Thanks to Sardar Vallabhai Vidyalay. :)

    On another note, I went to a smaller garba yesterday. It was much more private and personal-which I liked. Unlike the tornado like United Way garba, this place in the neighborhood attracted my attention much more. It was fun, and I really enjoyed it. Lets see if I can post one of the videos I took..

 

Tonight, just as I was craving and missing pani puri, destiny somehow led my cousin to taking us for pani puri at a lahri (the same Rajastani pani puri I had before!)!! On top of that, we had soda-it was so good, yet very strong! Talk about riding a motorcycle after all of that.. but as usual, this is India! welcome to land of try new things and explore your boundaries! Until next time-Ta Ta

"It has to be written in the stars to be back in the land I dreamed and prayed to live in for so many years"

 

Traffic mania

I am finally going to write about the traffic supernova, chaos, whatever you want to name it- all tangled up in a place called India. Let's be specific- most people are aware of how India barely has any traffic regulations, and that the road is a "do as you please" zone, but what I and so many others have experienced doesn't have enough words to describe what was going on.
 I love India, but this traffic issue needs some attention- seriously, dear govt., wake up. What makes me this raved up- the fact that my foot got scrapped by a motorcycle that was trying to cut through while I was on the back of a scooty (mini scooter). I must say I had a pretty fast recovery, because soon as we parked about 2 km from the garba ground, there was non stop walking to the garba ground through the cars, bikes, people, rikshaws, etc. On my way back out, that is when I realized that it is not worth risking so much. The roads need change. People may be accustomed to the chaos and cutting through moving vehicles (be it 4 wheeler car or 2 wheeler bike). I know I have, but I do not like it. Crossing roads ever day is not too bad for me, as I am very used to it, but that does not mean that it is right for there to be NO traffic regulations in the largest garba ground in the world that has about 10,000 people total, if not more... Then the hectic night road that people and vehicles are trying to pass concurrently. I was 2 inches away from a big black car, motorcycles, scooters, rikshaws... the list goes on. Maneuvering through cows, dogs, goats, buffaloes is not too bad though. That I can do well, but these vehicles are dangerous. Most people just want to speed away and not pay too much attention to giving signal or giving someone right of way. That concept is like a small pea that has yet to grow here. To add to the crowd, United Way was so crowded-an understatement. I just felt like I was trying not to bump into people the whole time. The foot that was scrapped by motorcycle was stomped on by random person doing garba. In the crowd, people's feet are stomped on, elbowed, pushed, and so forth. It is quite natural here, but not right by any means. Do garba and enjoy yourself, but watch where you are going. Hard to do with thousands of people, but not impossible.

As much as I love India, garba has its perks in the USA. There is regulation, and proper parking. That doesn't mean I don't like Indian garba, but United Way is just too crowded. Put 1000s times 10 people (mostly youth) in same vicinity, there is bound to be energy swifting in the air like a twister. I still did garba for the whole 2 hours (in USA, we did garba for 4-5 hours) on that foot. Surprisingly, I did not feel pain despite every pit in the sand I danced over or every rock that came under my feet. That is the beauty in a sense that you dance to the music and keep going despite obstacles. That is why I love garba, but I did miss USA garba-the one we have locally every year.

Overall, each place has its own pros and cons. Different things appeal to different people. The woos of garba are wearing off. I think I will only go 2 or 3 more days to garba at United Way. I got to experience garba in India, so I am happy. Contentment is what we decide. Happiness is the result. :)

Being able to do garba in India-and that too, Baroda, is truly a blessing. For me, it really is a dream come true. Everything else is just everything else, but being here during the holidays makes me feel so happy!! 

Eh Kanha oo tanne chahu.... my favorite line ever

"God gives one what they want. Often times, we are looking at something the way we imagined it, but God paints the picture a little differently. That is why we don't realize we have what we wanted. It is a matter of perception. Life is but a mirror that we reflect our thoughts onto." -me

Navaratri in Baroda

5,000 people, cholis, garba, and action... what do you get when you put 5,000 people -not under one roof, but on top of the same field. What do you get when colorful cholis and kurtas twist in circles as the souls within the garba fanatics are mesmerized by the music. When speed and crowd are ever present... You get Navaratri celebration in United Way of Baroda!

Old videos of previous years 

                                         one of the best- Tara naam ni chundari oodhi

This was the 1st day of Navaratri, and my firs time doing garba during Navaratri in Vadodara (aka Baroda) after 15 years! We left to go to garba barefoot. Taking shoes=bad idea. There is no place to put 5000+ people's shoes. My cousin and I cruised on her scooty in our chaniya cholis. What a ride! Nice breeze, yet back pain! We parked the scooty with all the other two-wheelers and walked about 20-25 minutes to the actual ground. It was much further down the road. That was the warm up. Then first round of garba ended when we reached there, so we walked around trying to find her friends for 20 minutes more. Finally, her friend spotted her, and we met up. Then after the aarti, garba started once again. This time, I was dancing, one of the thousands of garba lovers under one roof-the night sky and festive atmosphere. I felt in heaven when Tara Vina Shyaam started playing- I could not believe I was in India, in Vadodara, my birthplace, dancing to my most favorite garbo in the universe in the name of God. Then the music changed, and the step got awkward for me. Overall, it was fun, but I miss the variety of steps we do during garba in USA. There, we have less people than India obviously (it is still crowded though!), so we add a lot of variety and we can switch whenever we want to different steps or lines unlike here. Also, in USA, I can meet up with my friends and people I haven't seen for so long. Here, I don't have as many personal connections, but the most important connection is my connection with God.When everyone unites in name of God, then 1000s of people can feel like family.

I will make a separate post about traffic later. It deserves a post of its own~ my my! Right now, it is 2am, and I am super tired.

Brief synopsis of Navaratri (in my definition and what it means to me as it is all about finding meaning yourself to connect with nature and God)..there is google search for other definitions:
   Navaratri is a festival that is celebrated for 9 days. It is celebrated in honor of Durga mata or Amba mata. Amba mata represents inner power and strength (shakti). An idol is placed in the center of the garba ground, and people encircle it while dancing rhythmically to traditional garba music. The circle around the idol or picture of the Goddess symbolizes God-centric life. The circles formed symbolize connection to one another, and the continuous dancing barefoot on sand with one thing after another poking you, people crowding and pushing their way through, mouth dryer than the desert, sweat pouring down clothes and face-yet the lines in the circles keep moving to the tunes- that my friends, symbolize following the tune of life despite all obstacles persevering.The 10th day is Dassera (dus means 10). Dassera is when the demon Ravan was defeated by Lord Ram. It is a symbolism of good vs. evil, righteousness over egoistic and materialistic nature that Ravan possessed.

 Dance, dance, and just dance. Dancing is expression of the soul. It is the water to thirst, anti-septic to wounds, love to hearts, and ATP to mitochondria. Okay, literally speaking, it is the dopamine and serotonin to my brain which is making me write all of this and not feel the sourness that is there in my body without me sensing it! Now, that is dancing..

My trip to Padra

Hello dreams come true,

As I am sitting here without electricity and using the remaining battery power of my laptop, I decided to write about my trip to Padra. (edit: my electricity obviously came back when I posted this-it came back earlier than expected for a Monday! :) )

  Padra is a town on the outskirts of Vadodara. The town is where my dad’s side of the family lived for years. I had been meaning to go visit them earlier, but at least, yesterday worked out fine. My plan was to go in a chagda (a type of Rikshaw that stuffs even more people, but charges less), but instead, my cousin decided to come pick me up in his car while he had to run errends in the city Saturday night. He dropped me off Sunday night on the motorcycle. The breeze felt so nice even though my cousin, his wife (my bhabhi), and I were all on the bike! Cruising through the serene roads (very well built roads I must say!) at night.

  Let me start with when I first got there. I did not recognize the roads at all. They are even better than some roads in the U.S.A! I was amazed at the infrastructure and the lighting that was in place. Padra as developed tremendously in terms of roads. The houses were now all two to three stories tall in my grandparents’ old neighborhood.  I did not even recognize their house from the outside in the nighttime. The house downstairs is mostly the same as it was for all those year I visited as a child. The front patio type room where there used to be a bicycle that had clothes hanging on it to dry is no longer there obviously, but I imagined it there. The paints scrapped off of the walls-ever present. I looked at my grandparents’ photo in my mind and on the wall, and I felt touched by an angel. I wanted to take a video of my grandparents’ house as those walls contain a million memories that tie my dad to his parents. I had to lock my strong desire up inside a future capsule and press pause because my camera stopped working all of a sudden. I ran out of U.S. batteries (Energizer and Duracell), so my cousin got be Panasonic Indian manufactured batteries (cells as they are called here). I tried using brand new cells in my camera, but my camera stopped working after like a few minutes. Now, I am on a new mission to find foreign manufactured cells in India-Duracell or Energizer.  I will probably have to go to some mall of large shopping center. I will find them though- I need to take pictures!

Luckily though, I was able to use my cousin’s iPhone to skype with my parents in the USA. My parents got to see their family in Padra! It was nice. The voice quality was bad, and connection slow, but at least my dad saw his cousin brother, his nephew, his niece, his grandsons, his nephews’ wives, his other brother’s wife and vice versa after so many years. Seven years! I felt so happy to see my parents happy. I hope their hearts were filled with joy. I thank technology at times like this. When my camera malfunctioned, another piece of technology came to the rescue-even better than snapshots are real life video chat conversations.  My nephews are so grown up! They are adorable and very well behaved. I remember them as little children (4 and 5 year olds) who used to run around and do masti of all sorts! Now, they are still goofy, but the way they would sit down to study and do homework on a Sunday impressed me. They have better handwriting than me in English, Gujarati, and Hindi! One of them knows 4 languages already (including Sanskrit), and he is only in 6^th grade! They go to tuition classes on Sunday as well! 

  I went to pick my nephew up from tuition class with my bhabhi. It felt nice walking on the streets of Padra, but the traffic was intense. Then I went with my other bhabhi to the nearby market. At night, we walked to the restaurant and back. I love walking-be it city, or town- walking outside in India is just a whole different feeling. (I don't have pictures to accompany this post, but stay tuned, one day or another, I am developing a photo album just from Padra itself!) Afterall, it is the place that I got my values from-my grandparents passed down to my dad, and my dad to me! 

  Yesterday, I had so much good food in one day that I felt like I was in food heaven. I had papdi no lot and Maggie noodles for lunch! Manchurian and Chinese soup for dinner, and far as beverages go, milk for breakfast upstairs, coffee for breakfast downstairs, mid-afternoon tea upstairs, evening Lemonade downstairs, and right after, dinner at nearby rooftop restaurant called City Heart. To top it all off, on our way to Bhayli (another town), we had roadside soda (soo good, but my stomach was at its full extension capacity!). I had to sit on the bike after that, but I was fine. Then I went to my other uncle’s home since it was almost on the way, and there, they gave me Fanta. I was in function-overload. We reached Vadodara then and video chatted some more with my parents-but this time around, from my laptop, so it was better quality! O what fun- I had an amazing time and absolutely loved yesterday. I met some neighbors from my grandparents’ society too, but I did not recognize them since I was so young when I went to my grandparents’ home, but they recognized me and I wished my parents could be there to see them! …to sit outside at night with all the neighbors and chat.

  Close your eyes and make a wish. See that wish come to life. When it finally does, feel the universe with you.

Cough Cough go away; come back no other time

Ahem Ahem-repeat times q2 sec=the current state of my upper respiratory tract. A cough that is more stubborn than a child wanting candy. So in the midst of sitting in the office, I had random coughing fits. It doesn't help that the environment is so dusty and polluted outside. Even if I am inside, the effects from being outdoors rolls its wheel momentarily. The thing is- I am not only recovering from a viral infection, but I had a side dish of buy one get unlimited free allergies. Sometimes, I am perfectly fine, and other times, I cover my face with a oodhni (veil). I did walk almost 3-4 km today to get some cough syrup at the drug store, which really is not too much walking. It was mid afternoon and all, but I am used to it..and I needed cough syrup asap. I enjoy walking outside through. Baroda/Vadodara is relatively a very safe city compared to other cities in India. One must take precautions no matter where they are no doubt, but Baroda is much safer than the larger metropolitan cities like New Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmadabad. I remember the first week back, well first couple days really, I was so confused as to how I will find the streets to even get out of this neighborhood, let alone know where to walk to find rikshaws. Now, I roam around freely, and I have come to know most major landmarks and learn new paths everyday! Last couple times I came to India, I lived in the opposite side of the city, so this side was new to me at first. Now, I feel accustomed to it. For the most part, while I am out and about, I cover my head (ears, nose, mouth) too! That is a must at times.

Today, I was sitting in the rikshaw listening to garba while breezing through the city-oh what fun is to ride on a three wheeled Indian rikshaw yay!

 

This is my personal collection of cold/cough-aid that accompanies me everywhere!

Food for thought- we eat to live, or live to eat. Well-the taste buds were designed for a reason. Yet self-control- we design and master. The beauty of life is the convergence of what is (reality) and what we want (desire) into a smoothie called (our presence and future).

Tis the season of sickness

No one is invincible when it comes to avoiding illness. Yes, I have finally caught it. What every other person in my family and the community had-viral infection. Gone are the wonderful days of roaming in the city and doing what I am here to do. Let's see how long this lasts. Here is to feeling better soon and not spreading this contagious bug-whatever it is. That flu shot did not protect me from this as this must be some other species of virus. Trying to keep spirits high, and not get sucked into boredom staying at home.

For the time being, check out http://www.earnlearn.org/

I have so many people I want to go see still. Family and friends-my cousin just had a baby a day ago!  I just have not found time, and on top of that, my sim card here has no signal 50% of the time. If anyone tries to call me, I may or may not get the call.. I need a new sim card soon! My family and friends keep asking when I will call or come see them, but here I am, sick, and not in the mood to spread contagious vibes to anyone! especially not my newborn nephew.. but I am dying to hold him and play with him!! This is the first time I get to be in the same city around the birth of a niece or nephew. Every over time in the past when my nieces and nephews were born, I was 1000s of miles away or states away! I was so excited to hear the news, but I will be even happier to go shower them with gifts!! :) God bless them and give them excellent health and prosperity! <3

When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on. Franklin D. Roosevelt

"Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail." –Emerso

Peace

Reconnecting to the past

Time for a new post! I was too tired last night to write after roaming the city yesterday. It was definitely a well spent Sunday. I finally managed to go meet my grandparents' old neighbors. They were so not expecting me. In fact, some of them did not even recognize me. Apparently, I look different than I did 5 yrs ago! It was lovely spending some time with them. I didn't get to meet everyone as it was Sunday afternoon, and many people take naps Sunday afternoon. I felt like I should not disturb them, so I will go back another time to see them. The neighborhood kids are so grown up! Every one is just as sweet as before! My grandparents' house looks just the same from the outside as it did for all those yrs I visited it before. My grandparents are no more, but through people I meet, the neighbors, I feel my grandparents' presence. That neighborhood is like a big family. They were all tied to me through our nonperishable bond with my grandma and grandpa. Things have changed, but I consider that neighborhood my family still. Family that I can go visit when they had no idea that I was in India. :) It is fun surprising people! only in positive ways though!sometimes, I wish we had never sold my grandparents' house in the 1st place. If it was up to me, we wouldn't have.

The mandir (temple) I used to go to by my grandparents' society (neighborhood).

Yesterday, was fun filled. After my wonderful visit to the society, I went to meet up with a friend, and together, we headed to Nava Bazaar. [Bazaar means market] I had some errends to run. After walking around in the crowd trying to find the shop where I purchased some things from, we went to another tailor. This lady was very sweet. She ran her tailoring business through her own home. I like to going to such tailors because they are very humble and are trustworthy. Big shops get enough business as it is, and they show attitude saying they will not have this work done until days to weeks sometime. On the other hand, this lady tailor sewed while her two young kids played around, and she had my two cholis and chaniyos altered in less than 1 hour! total cost (60 rupees) 15-20 Rs per piece is average cost here.

Nava Bazaar-the place to go for Chaniya Cholis

I really liked the red and green chaniya choli, but one must control.

Nava bazaar along with most shopping areas are mix of open market and boutiques.

I always prefer open market to boutiques though. For one or two time wear things, why spend double the money?!

Furthermore, I did some shopping for other things. Normally, I am not a full blooded shop-a-holic. I am one of those "avoid making a purchase at all costs" kind of a person. Nonetheless, I am a bargain shopper and I like good deals. In short, I like to buy what I need, and then get out of there. I have more interest in food. Nava Bazaar has one after another papdi no lot na stalls/carts. I liked it so much that I had it once Saturday, and twice Sunday. The last bowl I had, my mouth was burning from lal marchu masala (red chille pepper masala)! I forgot to tell him not to put that on, and he already made it, so I ate it. Good thing I was carrying around bunch of small eclair chocolates!

typical papdi no not stall

Very good when served hot, but be wary of the masala! Spicyyyy

yet another papdi no lot lahri!  There is ample amount to go around!

Shankar bhagvan ni murti in Sursagar talav

 After my friend left, I walked over to Mangal Bazaar by going through inner alleys. Just asked around, and found my way. Mangal bazaar was even more crowded than Nava Bazaar!! Go figure, but I love it! I used to go there all the time when younger with my parents. When I saw a couple carrying a small child browsing around, it reminded me of my childhood. For some reason, I did not feel like a stranger to those streets. I reconnected with that area instantly! and of course, what is shopping in India without bargaining the price! That is a skill I am still mastering though..haha
After my Rendezvous at Nava Bazaar and the adjacent Mangal Bazaar, I headed to meet up with family for dinner. They had Sev Sad. personally do not like it at all, but I was full on papdi no lot still! It worked out perfectly! On my way there we passed by Sursagar-my favorite pond!

I had this instead! I love Maaza!

Sev sad...not my taste

 “Be not Afraid of anything. You will do Marvelous work. it is Fearlessness that brings Heaven even in a moment.”
― Swami Vivekananda